When she got home, she was told her son was dead."I trusted them with my child," Zaitseva told AFP at her home, her face contorted with pain. "And they can't find out who did it or tell the truth."The 44-year-old's death, officially attributed to heart disease, is one of a number linked to Ukraine's mobilisation campaign -- mandatory military service introduced to fight Russia's 2022 invasion.Instances of men being violently drafted or beaten after being mobilised make up a small minority of the tens of thousands of call-ups.The issue was almost non-existent at the start of the war, when many Ukrainians volunteered to fight.But as the war dragged and fatigue set in, reports of violence have proliferated.It is now a sensitive topic in Ukraine -- and one being amplified by pro-Kremlin media, anonymous Telegram channels, and Ukrainian bloggers accused of being linked to Moscow or driven by political motives.'Major changes'There has been a steady increase in reported incidents of violence towards draftees since 2023, when a failed Ukrainian counteroffensive gave way to a grinding stalemate and trench warfare.AFP has documented -- through media reports and official announcements -- at least 30 cases of Ukrainians who died after being mobilised since September 2023.Most had medical problems, four killed themselves, and two were beaten.
Ukrainian mother's agony highlights abuse and weaponisation of draft
The last time 68-year-old Tetiana Zaitseva saw her son Artem, she was bringing him clothes after he was detained and taken to an army recruitment centre the night before.







